Margaret is feeling as if she just can’t keep up anymore and feels overloaded by the demands of school, particularly the reading required for science class. Margaret’s dad has tried to get her to participate in the summer science contest where students’ read a list of pre-assigned books and then are quizzed about them a computer. Students who read and complete tests on the most books received prizes and certificates. Margaret told her dad it was a stupid contest and she had better things to do, like practice the clarinet or compose new music. What she didn’t tell him was that she was intimidated by the books on the list and thought they would be too hard for her.
Over time, Margaret’s science test scores and course grades have declined. Margaret is earning Ds in science. She excels in music in which she has an A. Margaret loves music class, and has gotten quite good at her instrument, the clarinet. She also enjoys playing in the school band, and learning about composers and conductors. She’s quite good at remembering the composer’s name when she hears a piece of music. Margaret’s mother tells her that her low grades in science are OK – because she has inherited the artistic genes from her mother’s side of the family.
Margaret doesn’t understand why science is so hard. She feels like she tries hard to keep up, re-reading the science materials two or three times, but she still either doesn’t understand or remember key ideas.
Margaret is feeling as if she just can’t keep up anymore and feels overloaded by the demands of school, particularly the reading required for science class. Margaret’s dad has tried to get her to participate in the summer science contest where students’ read a list of pre-assigned books and then are quizzed about them a computer. Students who read and complete tests on the most books received prizes and certificates. Margaret told her dad it was a stupid contest and she had better things to do, like practice the clarinet or compose new music. What she didn’t tell him was that she was intimidated by the books on the list and thought they would be too hard for her.
Over time, Margaret’s science test scores and course grades have declined. Margaret is earning Ds in science. She excels in music in which she has an A. Margaret loves music class, and has gotten quite good at her instrument, the clarinet. She also enjoys playing in the school band, and learning about composers and conductors. She’s quite good at remembering the composer’s name when she hears a piece of music. Margaret’s mother tells her that her low grades in science are OK – because she has inherited the artistic genes from her mother’s side of the family.
Margaret doesn’t understand why science is so hard. She feels like she tries hard to keep up, re-reading the science materials two or three times, but she still either doesn’t understand or remember key ideas.
Adapted from All Kinds of Minds. (n.d.). Resources, Case Studies, Mastering theChallenges of Reading, Margaret – 10th grade. Retrieved from June 21, 2008 http://allkindsofminds.org/CategoryAll.aspx?section#CaseStudy